A Case Study of Muslim Aid Islamic Microfinance Towards Economic Empowerment Syed Khurram Khursheed Program Manager A Case Study of Muslim Aid Islamic Microfinance Towards Economic Empowerment Syed Khurram Khursheed Program Manager – Economic Empowerment & Livelihood Provincial Manager – Punjab Muslim Aid Pakistan

INSTITUTION Muslim Aid was founded in 1985 Our field offices Bosnia, Iraq, Sudan, Somalia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, The Gambia, Lebanon Regional Coordination Offices Kenya, Jordan We provide reliefs and development programmes in over 70 countries. The Muslim Aid liaison office Pakistan was upgraded to a fully equipped field office Pakistan in 2005 in response to the earthquake.

Thematic Areas WASH Health Education Microfinance Skills Development Livelihood Child Development Humanitarian Response Seasonal Programs

Nearly 1/2 of the world’s population — more than 3 billion people — live on less than $2.50 a day. More than 1.3 billion live in extreme poverty, that's less than $1.25 a day. 80% of the world population lives on less than $10 a day 900 million extremely poor people live in rural areas in developing countries. 48 million people are living below poverty line of 1$ per day in Pakistan Despite all development efforts over 60 years, the gap between the poor and the rich is widening. The poor are denied to have access to the formal finance institutions simply because they are unbankable. Facts & Background

One of our goals is to make a significant contribution to the alleviation of world poverty by 2015 Poverty is multi dimension and Microfinance is one of the powerful tool to fight poverty. When poor people have access to financial services, they can earn more, build their assets, and cushion themselves against external shocks. Poor households use microfinance to move from everyday survival to planning for the future: they invest in better nutrition, housing, health, and education Need of Microfinance ?

In this program, our aim is to expand the coverage and outreach of our support by focusing on vulnerable families for whom economic empowerment is critical for survival. We are pursuing a structured need identification and assessment process for improved accountability, orient families about our Shariah compliant microfinance package and ensure that assistance provided brings about a change in the quality of life of the assisted families. Microfinance

Expand coverage and outreach of Shariah compliant microfinance initiatives for economic empowerment to 10,000 more families in next two years in Pakistan specifically and 100,000 families in general to other different Muslim Aid country offices i.e.. Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Syria, Cambodia, Bosnia and Indonesia. Strategic Objective

People living in poverty, like everyone else, need a diverse range of financial instruments MEDP was started in March 2008 in Chakwal and August 2011 in Rawalpindi. Main objectives of the project were to create awareness about enterprises development, provide technical assistance in enterprise development and provision of micro credit (On Murabaha, a shariah compliance mode) for establishment or enhancement of micro enterprises. MEDP (Micro Enterprise Development Program)

We have started a joint project of Qarde Hasana with Akhowat on 1 st June, 2007 in Sadiqabad, Rawalpindi, with the objective of providing interest free credit to the poor so as to enhance their standard of living. Qard-e-Hasana

Unique: Shari’a compliant, social mission, Pro-poor Comprehensive: diverse products with a variety of flavours designed for all financial needs of poor and low income people Integrated: integrated with development programme such as skills development centres Muslim Aid Islamic Microfinance Salient Features

Sustainable: Initiated and designed a way in which both financial sustainability of the programme as well as beneficiary sustainability will be highly achieved Inclusive: Financial services will be provided to all – poor, and low income people Outreach: The programme will serve masses and also increase its outreach from time to time. Proper Management and Information System: The programme is guided by internal management system, programme performance standard, proper reporting, monitoring and evaluation system & impact assessment. Continue…..

Shariah Compliant Products Focused on Micro-enterprises Micro-Credit (Murabaha) Shariah Compliant – Strictly In-Kind For Micro-enterprises establishment and enhancement No physical collateral Upto Rs 30,000 Return in Monthly installment Establishment of new micro-enterprises Enhancement of micro-enterprises Products Features

Qarde Hasana For poorest of the poor For starting micro-enterprises Liberation loan No physical collateral Easy processing Average Loan size Rs 15,000 Return in easy monthly installments Products Features

Total Disbursement till date Rs 9’39’24’195 Total Clients till date, micro enterprises established/enhanced 6,174 Total Outstanding in the market 1’39’42’091 Total active clients 1,225 Recovery percentage 98% Our Standings

Islamic Microfinance Asset-based mode of financing can prevent diversion of funds for consumption CHALLENGES OPPORTUNITIES Needs to include Business Development Services Provide access to credit to many of the poor in Muslims Countries Musharaka and Mudaraba are more attractive to SMEs Islamic finance can resolve the Moral Hazard problem Lack of qualified manpower Need to develop a uniform regulatory and legal framework for the Islamic Finance system Murabaha generates high initial transactions costs

Diverse approaches are needed- making this a reality entails breaking down the walls real and imaginary that currently separate microfinance from the much broader world of financial systems. In the context of poor people in Muslim societies, building inclusive financial systems would most certainly require integration of microfinance with Islamic finance. Cultural and religious sensitivities of the Islamic world are somewhat unique and these must be given due emphasis in any attempt to build inclusive financial systems and bring the over one-billion Muslims into the fold of formal financial systems. We need to make people sustainable rather habitual of financial support. Change factor is so important, without behaviour change we can’t win. Conclusion

ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT

Together we can make the difference Join Hands to make the difference NOW…. Join Hands to make the difference NOW…. Any Questions……… Thank You ……….